Multitudes on Mondays

Each year at this time I can hardly wait to start digging in my garden. I love getting down on my hands and knees to work the earth and to prepare my gardens for the flowers I hope to plant. As I work I feel a tremendous peace and sense of satisfaction. Moving from one garden area to the next, I feel a connection to the earth and the promise of the beauty that will soon burst forth.

It is also a time that I think of my father. He grew up on a farm and developed a love of the earth as a young boy. When he married and moved to the city, he would still help his father tend his concord grapes and the few acres of vegetables he continued to farm. As the years went by, my dad's love of the earth was evident in his flower gardens. His yard became his own little farm and instead of vegetables, the fruits of his labors were an abundance of colorful blooms on the many annuals and perennials he tended.

Growing up, I would often accompany my father in the garden. I learned first hand how to plan which flowers would go where, how to prepare the soil, and how to gently plant each young flower so it would grow to it's full potential. I also learned how caring my father was, and how his gardening skills were a reflection of his tender heart.

My dad was a tall man with very large hands. He would often curse his hands because they made him feel clumsy when he would try to do delicate things, like removing a sliver from our finger when we were small or pulling out a tooth for us when we did not have the courage to do it ourselves. And yet, when I watched him garden, he handled the young plants with a gentleness that belied his size. I was always amazed at his ability to carefully place and secure each small plant in the ground and then smooth the soil around it so it felt at home.

I thank God for the times I spent with my father helping to plant his gardens. He taught me an appreciation for planting and growing and enjoying the flowers that bring so much beauty to our world, and for this I am ever grateful.

My list continues...

#121. acquiring my love of gardening from my father

#122. digging in my gardens again after a long cold winter

#123. having the faith to know that God watches over us every moment of every day

#124. an evening out with Sue & Ted, long-time friends, and simply enjoying each others company without pretense or effort

#125. shelter from the rain

#126. forget-me-nots in my garden

#127. date night with Mr. B

#128. looking forward to a visit from Brian and Ann

#129. a freshly cleaned and organized garage

#130. foot rubs!